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Deliciously baked manicotti stuffed with cheese and topped with tomato sauce.

Three Cheese Manicotti

A cozy and filling baked pasta dish featuring creamy ricotta, melty mozzarella, and nutty parmesan, all nestled in marinara sauce and baked to perfection.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Manicotti
  • 12 pieces Manicotti shells The big tubes; check if they are no-boil or require parboiling.
  • 15 oz Ricotta cheese For creamy filling.
  • 8 oz Shredded mozzarella cheese For melting and stretching.
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese Grated for salty flavor.
  • 1 large Egg To help the filling set.
  • 3 cups Marinara sauce Store-bought is fine.
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced For flavor.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Optional Add-Ins
  • 1 cup Fresh spinach Thaw frozen, squeeze dry, and mix into the filling.
  • 1 lb Ground beef or Italian sausage Brown and stir into sauce or filling.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. If using standard manicotti shells, parboil them in salted water for a few minutes until slightly softened. If using no-boil shells, skip this step.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
  4. To fill the shells easily, place the cheese mixture into a zip-top bag, snip off a corner, and pipe it into the manicotti shells.
Assembling
  1. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
  2. Carefully nestle the filled manicotti shells into the sauce in the baking dish.
  3. Spoon additional marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, ensuring they are well covered.
Baking
  1. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  2. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
  3. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving to let the filling set.

Notes

For a fun pairing, consider serving with garlic bread or some appetizers. Leftovers taste even better the next day!